Digging In

Post #: 13
Weeks of training complete: 15 weeks, 3 days
Time until Ironman: 16 weeks, 4 days
Miles swam: 55.564
Miles biked: 736.17
Miles run: 213.23

Goal: $5,000
Total money raised: $670

Today, I was hit with reality – in a good way.

It's easy for people – you, me, newspaper writers, radio talk show hosts, television personalities, your mom, dad, aunt, uncle, friend, customer you serve every day, whomever – to make judgments about those of us who are less fortunate. You know who I'm talking about: the homeless, the drug and alcohol addicted, the less educated, those who hold low-paying jobs, the poorly dressed, whatever. We all make judgments about people every day.

Some of us simply crow about them louder. Some of us simply make harsher judgements.

Today, I needed to go down to the offices of the charity I'm raising money for – Tempe Community Action Agency – to meet up with some of the staffers on a separate project I'm working on (I, along with some other College Times people are helping them develop a marketing plan).

It's necessary for me to go. I think, really, it's necessary for everybody to spend 15 minutes in the lobby of their facility. It puts faces to the scope of the need – elderly, children, families, the seriously injured. A lot of people who naturally oppose social services; who tend to think that the blame falls upon the individual for their plight just need to step into that office and realize the reality of human need in our community is far greater, and more complicated, than something that can broken down into "right or wrong."

People get hurt, they get old, they get sick, they get left behind only to be surrounded by a world of cruelty and people who blame them. And yet often they are not to blame. If you spend a few minutes inside a facility like this, you realize many of the people that walk in do not want to be asking for help. They're too proud. Probably been taught like you and me that you don't ask for help; don't take handouts.

Anyhow, it was a strong reminder as to why I'm doing this. And it just reinvigorated me towards my cause. Made me realize I have picked the right agency, the right people, the right group to ask you to donate to. I watched seniors today get together in the center and play Wii Golf and Bowling together and laugh. I watched children and the elderly be given food. I watched mothers in need get nourishment. I believe more than ever in what I am doing. I am grateful there are organizations like this that care.

We're approaching the middle point of training and I'm refocused. I feel good again. Ready for what lies ahead. I'm committed now to 16 weeks of straight discipline – of a life that involves work, and family, and responsibility and training. It's all clicking somehow. The work that lies ahead is insane. In the next 16 weeks, I will swim another 140 miles, bike more than 2,000 miles and run another 450 miles, all in preparation for the big day. I feel optimistic, oddly enough.

In completely unrelated news, those of you who know me, know that I'm an insane bargain shopper. I just got back from one of my crazy supermarket bargain shopping and had one of my best sessions ever – the PHX-area grocery stores have good deals this week. Safeway is kicking $1.99/lb 93 percent lean ground beef; $1.99/gal milk, 99 cent Pop Tarts 8 pks, a beautiful 2lb pork tenderloin for $3.99; A 2lb bag of jumbo shrimp for $8 and $2.50/loaf Oroweat bread; Albertsons meanwhile is rocking some $1.77/lb fresh boneless, skinless chicken breast; $1.66 kids snacks like big boxes of fruit rolls and fruit bars; $2.50 gallons of fresh OJ and some other really good stuff; Fry's also is kickin' it deal style. They've got $1.50 dry pints of blueberries and this bad ass mix and match promotion where stuff is on sale, but you also get an additional $5 off for every 10 items you buy; so I got $1 12 packs of flavored oatmeal; $1.50 frozen pizzas; $1.50 Ken's salad dressing; $2 Capri Sun 10 packs and some other good stuff. Anyhow I bought over $420 worth of stuff for $250 today. I was excited. And I paid $3.79/gallon for gas - not great, but better than it's been - at the AM/PM on Southern and McClintock.

People – you should really use gasbuddy.com and stop going to the gas stations that rip you off. I'm always amazed at all the jackasses who go to the Chevron on the corner of 48th and Broadway in Phoenix. It's the most expensive place around, and it's always packed.

I've rambled enough tonight. So much to tell; so little time to tell it. I'll try to blog again tomorrow.

Cheers,
Ed